In recent weeks, the majority of the scrutiny at Manchester United has fallen on the shoulders of the backline and their defensive uncertainties, and rightly so.
However, it’s not just that end of the field that’s had issues and underperformed, with the attack also being subpar all season long.
Erik ten Hag’s team has only netted 47 goals this season, one less than their goals conceded, which is the lowest tally in the top half of the table.
Bruno Fernandes is yet again the main source of goals and creativity, but even the captain has underperformed this season compared to his usual self.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at a potential midfield signing that could unleash the real Portuguese magnifico next season.
Man Utd’s search for a midfielder
According to a report from journalist Rudy Galetti, Man United are in the market for a new midfielder to bolster the position.
The need for a midfielder is due to Sofyan Amrabat’s pending exit after a failed loan spell, with Adrien Rabiot being named as a potential replacement.
The journalist states that the French ace is a “concrete option,” due to the Juventus player being available on a free transfer this summer.
Joao Neves and Youssouf Fofana are also named targets, but the duo would cost considerably more than the Serie A ace.
Why Rabiot has the potential to unleash the real Bruno
As mentioned, Fernandes has been the catalyst for absolutely everything positive in the United attack this season, taking on creative and goal-scoring responsibility.
The number eight has scored eight goals this season and provided six assists, while also having the most shots, key passes, and big chances created in the squad.
However, he’s still not quite reached the heights of his previous 18-goal 2020/21 Premier League campaign, where he played as a high attacking midfielder in front of a double pivot of Scott McTominay and Fred.
The potential signing of Rabiot, alongside Kobbie Mainoo, could reinstall that security behind the 29-year-old, in turn making him much more impactful in the final third.
Goals
4
Assists
3
Big chances created
6
Tackles
1.7
Balls recovered
4.9
Duels won
5.6
As you can see by the table above, the former Paris Saint-Germain star is a player who can successfully influence the game at both ends of the field, which would help Fernandes in two ways.
Firstly, the defensive side to Rabiot’s game would enable United to be much more secure, with his energy and ability to cover ground helping the side stop transitions more often than they currently do.
This means that the former Sporting star can put more emphasis on his attacking responsibilities rather than constantly having to track back across large open spaces.
On the other hand, what makes Rabiot an “unreal” player, as per Muhammad Butt, is his ability to be a threat in the final third, as shown by his goals and assists this season.
Rabiot often likes to make powerful runs into the box to get on the end of crosses, like in the clip below, which in turn would give Fernandes another target to hit in the box, in a similar way to how McTominay impacts the game currently.
Overall, signing a player of Rabiot’s quality and experience for £0 is the definition of a bargain, and if he can bring the best out of Fernandes, the Red Devils must attempt to sign him this summer.
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